Discovery Chemistry
Associate Director/Director, Antibody Discovery
Office Location: San Diego, CA
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARWR) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company that develops medicines that treat intractable diseases by silencing the genes that cause them. Using a broad portfolio of RNA chemistries and efficient modes of delivery, Arrowhead therapies trigger the RNA interference mechanism to induce rapid, deep, and durable knockdown of target genes. RNA interference, or RNAi, is a mechanism present in living cells that inhibits the expression of a specific gene, thereby affecting the production of a specific protein. Arrowhead’s RNAi-based therapeutics leverage this natural pathway of gene silencing.
Arrowhead is focused on developing innovative drugs for diseases with a genetic basis, typically characterized by the overproduction of one or more proteins that are involved with disease. The depth and versatility of our RNAi technologies enables us to potentially address conditions in virtually any therapeutic area and pursue disease targets that are not otherwise addressable by small molecules and biologics. Arrowhead is leading the field in bringing the promise of RNAi to address diseases outside of the liver, and our clinical pipeline includes disease targets in the liver and lung with a promising pipeline of preclinical candidates.
Arrowhead’s corporate headquarters is in Pasadena, CA with research and development teams in Madison, WI & San Diego, CA, and a state of the art manufacturing facility in Verona, WI. Our employees are nimble, science-driven innovators who are collaborating to bring new therapies to patients in need.
The Position
We’re seeking an accomplished and driven Associate Director or Director of Antibody Discovery to lead our antibody discovery efforts. This leadership role will oversee the strategy, execution, and innovation of antibody discovery campaigns, contributing to Arrowhead’s growing portfolio of next-generation RNA therapeutics. The ideal candidate will bring deep technical expertise in antibody engineering and display technologies, along with proven leadership and cross-functional collaboration skills.
Responsibilities
- Lead antibody discovery projects from initial target assessment through lead identification, optimization, and candidate selection. Oversee multiple concurrent discovery projects, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities.
- Direct antibody development and optimization efforts such as affinity maturation, developability profiling, and epitope characterization.
- Oversee the design and execution of in vitro and in vivo studies supporting antibody discovery and platform development.
- Evaluate and implement emerging technologies to expand internal capabilities.
- Manage and mentor a high-performing team of scientists and foster a culture of scientific excellence and innovation.
- Ensure timely achievement of project milestones and facilitate clear scientific communication and cross-functional integration.
Requirements:
- PhD in Immunology, Molecular Biology, Protein Engineering, Biochemistry, or a related field.
- 10+ years of relevant experience in antibody discovery, with a proven track record of advancing therapeutics into preclinical development.
- Deep understanding of antibody structure-function relationships, discovery workflows, and biologic modalities.
- Expertise in hybridoma generation, B-cell cloning, and display-based antibody selection (phage, yeast, or mammalian).
- Strong working knowledge of in vitro and in vivo functional assays for antibody characterization.
- Experience with bispecifics, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), or novel antibody formats is a plus.
- Demonstrated leadership in managing scientific teams and cross-functional collaborations.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience presenting to senior leadership or external stakeholders.
- Ability to adapt to fast-paced, evolving research priorities and to contribute creatively to new scientific directions.
- Proven scientific accomplishments including publications, conference presentations or patents.
Preferred:
- Experience integrating computational antibody design or machine learning-based optimization.
- Knowledge of regulatory requirements for therapeutic antibody development.
- Familiarity with antibody-RNA conjugate technologies is highly desirable.
Arrowhead provides competitive salaries and an excellent benefit package.
All applicants must have authorization to work in the US for a company.